1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to audio components, and more particularly to portable speaker/audio reproduction devices.
2. Description of Related Art
Portable speaker systems for use with electronic devices are increasingly being used by individuals. Collapsible and portable speaker assemblies for use with audio-capable devices are known in the art, and such assemblies have been configured into many forms. Existing speaker assemblies and speaker systems that are collapsible as well as portable in design, however, generally are bulky, heavy and costly to manufacture. Moreover, such assemblies are typically not conveniently stored or transported from one destination to another.
Furthermore, as digital storage capacity continues to increase, users are able to carry more and more of the music they like with them in an ever-increasing array of audio-capable devices, including, but not limited to, digital cameras, portable digital assistants (commonly referred to as PDA's), wireless telephones, all-in-one devices combining two or more functionalities, and the like. Most of these audio-capable devices, however, are designed to be highly portable and, therefore, are limited so as to present the reproduced audio to a user only through monaural or stereo headphones that are plugged into the audio device. This means that, at best, these audio devices can only be used to reproduce audio tracks for a limited number of users, such as when one or more splitters are used to allow multiple users to plug headphones into the device.
One limitation of powered speakers is that they are frequently sold as stand-alone units, without a carrying case or other means for simplifying their transportation. The speakers also tend to take a lot of physical abuse during transportation, and frequently the cables and adaptors used to connect the speakers to the audio device are not capable of withstanding such abuse.
Accordingly, there exists a need for improvement in the design of portable speaker systems to overcome the deficiencies discussed above. The present invention meets these needs and others, as will be apparent to those of skill in the art.